There was a disastrous fire at Mason City early yesterday morning. The blaze started in the Lombardo confectionary store on State street at 1:30 in the morning. Several business blocks on State and Michigan streets were in ashes before the progress of the fire could be checked. The night was extremely cold and it was difficult for the firemen to battle against the flames. The total loss will aggregate $800,000. By hard fighting, the Globe Gazette building and the Wheeler hotel were saved. They are the only structures that were left on the block on which they are located. As a result of the fire, a score or more families are homeless. Their furniture and other household effects were either burned or damaged.

The total insurance will probably foot up $150,000. The heaviest losers are A. H. GALE, FRANK MILLER, HARRY E. STANBURY, DR. EGLOFT and the ZEIVES Hardware Company.

The principal losers are as follows:

A. H. GALE, $75,000; insurance, $50,000.
ZEIVE Hardware Company, $40,000.
MILLER Grocery Company, $10,000.
ADAMS Express Company, $10,000.
JOSEPHS Dry Goods, $15,000.
MILLS Drug Company, $10,000.
Mission Billiard room, $4,000.
LEHMAN & Son, Harness dealers, $4,000.
VANCE Music Company, $5,000.
L. C. SMITH Typewriter Co., $2,000.
LOMBARDO Fruit store, $2,000.
L. EISENBERG Co., $4,000.
Western Union Telegraph Company, $1,000.
Mason City Globe Gazette, $1,000.
GALE Block, $75,000.
STANBURY Building, $15,000.
EGLOFT Building, $20,000.